Mishawaka Auto Repair

Battery/Charging Alert: Indicates voltage level is below normal level and the vehicle's charging system is not functioning properly. Check battery terminals, alternator belt, and battery condition.  

Just like your car’s water or coolant warning light, you might see an oil warning light flash up if oil temperature gets too high,  the level is low or oil pressure too low. It’s the latter two you want to avoid at all costs. Oil is what lubricates your engine, with the oil pump used to spray the fluid to all corners of your engine.  If temperatures get too high, or even worse, level is low or oil pressure drops, the effectiveness  of the lubrication can be reduced or lost all together. The result? Expensive engine damage, so if you see this warning sign, stop and phone a Ricks Auto Service.  

Wednesday Wisdom: Be careful driving during bad weather. When it's dark outside, depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision are compromised. And the glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle can literally blind a driver temporarily. Even with high-beam headlights on, visibility is limited to about 500 feet (250 feet for normal headlights) creating less time to react to something in the road – especially when driving at higher speeds. What should you do to combat darkness? Aim your headlights correctly, and make sure they're clean Dim your dashboard Look away from oncoming lights If you wear glasses, make sure they're anti-reflective Clean the windshield to eliminate streaks Slow down to compensate for limited visibility and reduced stopping time

  Warning Lights. When something goes wrong with your car or if a feature you should know about gets activated, a signal funnels through the electrical system and into the dashboard. This illuminates a hieroglyphic, and these cover a wide range of issues - some of which can be serious. In the week to come I will be talking about the meanings behind 15 or so of these curious-looking markers (and what they look like, in case you need a mnemonic device to help your memory). Your dashboard may be different and the symbols may have altered designs or indicate slightly different things, so be sure to consult your owner's manual. Some of these lights could portend a serious malfunction. Don't ignore them. When in doubt, give us at Ricks Auto Service here in Mishawaka, In a call and we can check it out.  

The Engine Temperature Warning Light is on, it looks like a pirate ship with it's sails down or it could be a picture of an engine or show a red thermometer. If the engine temperature warning system, either by gauge, light, or message, signals that the engine is overheating, turn the cabin heater to the maximum heat range and set the blower motor to high. Turn off the A/C and any other nonessential systems that are running, including the radio. This is to alleviate as much load from the engine as possible and to circulate the remaining coolant through the maximum amount of heat transfer surfaces, like the radiator and heater core. Following these steps will release as much heat as possible. Pull the vehicle over to the closest and safest place on the side of the road. DO NOT open the hood for at least 20 to 30 minutes. A severely overheating engine can rupture a radiator hose and/or shoot coolant steam out of the coolant expansion tank or radiator cap and severely burn and even bl ... read more

With Gas prices at an all time low it's time to get out and have some Fun. This weekend in Niles Michigan they have an Ice Festival, it is beautiful. Have a great day and weekend enjoy each other and be refreshed

When something goes wrong with your car or if a feature you should know about gets activated, a signal funnels through the electrical system and into the dashboard. This illuminates a hieroglyphic and these cover a wide range of issues some of which may be serious. Your dashboard may be different and the symbols may have been altered or indicate slightly different things, the best thing is to consult your owners's manual. Some of these lights could lead to a serious malfunction. Dont ignore them. When in doubt, have a professional check it out

 "Are you ready for winter driving?" With temperatures in the single digits, I was not ready!!. One of my children used my car(no problem) but left the dome light on(big problem). Quess what no start, and the cables we had needed to be replaced, found out the hard way.